The report follows violent clashes that killed at least 25 people in Jisr Shughour over the weekend. Protesters and human rights activists said Syrian security forces used helicopter gunships and armored cars with machine guns against demonstrators.

If today's attacks are confirmed, they would be the deadliest retaliation against Syrian security forces since President Bashar al-Assad first ordered the bloody crackdown on anti-regime protests three months ago, according to the New York Times.

Although the political uprising has so far been largely peaceful, there is a growing fear that the protesters will start responding to the violence. Activists claim that at least 1,200 people have been killed and more than 10,000 arrested across Syria since the uprising against Assad began in March.

"We live moment to moment, just waiting," one activist told the NYT. "There have been a lot of killings and some people are becoming more extremist. Fear is creating a negative reaction."